Does the Bible support capital punishment?

The Scriptures don’t deal directly with the notion of a secular government’s use of capital punishment. While it’s clear that God places a high value on human life—“You shall not murder” (Exodus 20:13)—in the theocracy of Old Testament Israel, capital punishment was considered a valid punishment for serious violations of the law. Since we don’t live in a society directly ruled by God today, we must also consider other factors.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned that when we seek to “pay back” another person by violence, such an action, which begins in the heart, isn’t acceptable. Retribution, vengeance, hatred, and malice are not to be motivating factors to correct wrongs.

Courts of justice should attempt to rise above the anger of individuals and deal objectively with serious criminal acts. The goal of many countries that practice capital punishment is to protect law-abiding citizens from extremely dangerous individuals. In this way, Romans 13:4 is often quoted by those who favor capital punishment. Here, the apostle Paul addresses the role of secular governments in maintaining order in society, and he goes so far as to say they have a right to “bear the sword.” Many take this to mean that capital punishment is acceptable to God under some circumstances.

Many who are against the death penalty often cite Jesus’ rescue of the prostitute in the temple courts, but this doesn’t speak directly to the role of secular governments exercising certain forms of justice. Still, executing a person is a serious matter—a government killing someone without justice is murder. We should be praying for those prosecutors, judges, and jurors considering such sentences. And we should pray for every person given the death sentence to find Jesus.

Finally, Christians need to be given room to decide for themselves what they believe about the death penalty, and to kindly allow others to view the matter differently. It’s okay to disagree, and one’s belief in this area isn’t a matter of salvation.

Key Bible Texts

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (Romans 13:4 KJV)